Altera® AXI4 Bus Functional Model User Guides

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ID 838773
Date 5/19/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM User Guide 2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM User Guide 3. Document Revision History of Altera® AXI4 Bus Functional Model User Guides A. API Translation: Mentor* VIP to Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM
1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM User Guide x
1.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Overview 1.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Architecture 1.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Configuration and Interfaces 1.4. Using the Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFMs 1.5. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM API 1.6. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Assertions
1.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Overview x
1.1.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Specification Support 1.1.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Components 1.1.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Supported Features 1.1.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM SystemVerilog Packages 1.1.5. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Supported Flows 1.1.6. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Supported Simulators
1.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Architecture x
1.2.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Architecture 1.2.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Architecture 1.2.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Monitor BFM Architecture 1.2.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Transaction Class
1.2.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Transaction Class x
1.2.4.1. Altera® AXI4 Transaction Information
1.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Configuration and Interfaces x
1.3.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Configuration 1.3.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Interface 1.3.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Configuration 1.3.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Interface 1.3.5. Altera® AXI4-Lite Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Configuration 1.3.6. Altera® AXI4-Lite Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Interface 1.3.7. Altera® AXI4-Lite Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Configuration 1.3.8. Altera® AXI4-Lite Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Interface 1.3.9. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Inline Monitor Configuration 1.3.10. Altera® AXI4 Inline Monitor Interface
1.4. Using the Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFMs x
1.4.1. Using the Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager BFM Flow 1.4.2. Using the Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Subordinate BFM Flow 1.4.3. Using the Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Monitor BFM Flow 1.4.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager RTL Implementation Example 1.4.5. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager Platform Designer BFM Implementation Example
1.5. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM API x
1.5.1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Configuration API 1.5.2. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Reset API 1.5.3. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Manager Transaction Creation API 1.5.4. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Subordinate Transaction Creation API 1.5.5. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Transaction Configuration API 1.5.6. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM Transaction Execution API 1.5.7. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped Host Memory API
2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM User Guide x
2.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Overview 2.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Architecture 2.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Configuration and Interfaces 2.4. Using the Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFMs 2.5. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Packages, Classes, Interfaces, and Modules
2.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Overview x
2.1.1. AXI4 Protocol Specification Support 2.1.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Components 2.1.3. AXI4 Streaming Supported Features 2.1.4. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM SystemVerilog Packages 2.1.5. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Supported Flows 2.1.6. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Supported Simulators
2.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Architecture x
2.2.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Data Organization 2.2.2. AXI4 Streaming Data Transfer 2.2.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Transmitter BFM 2.2.4. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Receiver BFM
2.2.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Data Organization x
2.2.1.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Beats 2.2.1.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Transfers 2.2.1.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Packets
2.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Configuration and Interfaces x
2.3.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Transmitter BFM Configuration 2.3.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Transmitter BFM Interfaces 2.3.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Receiver BFM Configuration 2.3.4. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Receiver BFM Interface
2.4. Using the Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFMs x
2.4.1. Using the Transmitter BFM Flow 2.4.2. Using the Receiver BFM Flow 2.4.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Tools 2.4.4. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM RTL Example 2.4.5. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Platform Designer Example
2.4.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Tools x
2.4.3.1. Number Formatting 2.4.3.2. Transfer Printing 2.4.3.3. Transfer Comparison
2.5. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM Packages, Classes, Interfaces, and Modules x
2.5.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Common BFM Packages, Classes, Interfaces, and Modules 2.5.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Transmitter BFM Packages, Classes, and Modules 2.5.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Receiver BFM Packages, Classes, and Modules
2.5.1. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Common BFM Packages, Classes, Interfaces, and Modules x
2.5.1.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_types_pkg 2.5.1.2. Package axi4_stream_bytes_class_pkg 2.5.1.3. Package axi4_stream_transfer_class_pkg 2.5.1.4. Package axi4_stream_packet_class_pkg
2.5.1.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_types_pkg x
2.5.1.1.1. Typedefs 2.5.1.1.2. Utility Function num_formatter 2.5.1.1.3. Interface axi4_stream_if 2.5.1.1.4. AXI4 Streaming Interface Modports 2.5.1.1.5. Protocol-Checking Assertions
2.5.1.2. Package axi4_stream_bytes_class_pkg x
2.5.1.2.1. Class Axi4StreamBytes 2.5.1.2.2. Data Members in Axi4StreamBytes Class 2.5.1.2.3. Methods in Axi4StreamBytes Class 2.5.1.2.4. Class Axi4StreamBytesData 2.5.1.2.5. Methods in Axi4StreamBytesData Class 2.5.1.2.6. Class Axi4StreamBytesPosition 2.5.1.2.7. Methods in Axi4StreamBytesPosition Class 2.5.1.2.8. Class Axi4StreamBytesNull 2.5.1.2.9. Methods in Axi4StreamBytesNull Class 2.5.1.2.10. Class Axi4StreamBytesDataError 2.5.1.2.11. Data Members in Axi4StreamBytesDataError Class 2.5.1.2.12. Methods in Class Axi4StreamBytesDataError 2.5.1.2.13. Class Axi4StreamBytesPositionError 2.5.1.2.14. Data Members in Class Axi4StreamBytesPositionError 2.5.1.2.15. Methods in Class Axi4StreamBytesPositionError 2.5.1.2.16. Class Axi4StreamBytesNullError 2.5.1.2.17. Data Members in Class Axi4StreamBytesNullError 2.5.1.2.18. Methods in Class Axi4StreamBytesNullError
2.5.1.3. Package axi4_stream_transfer_class_pkg x
2.5.1.3.1. Class Axi4StreamTransfer 2.5.1.3.2. Data Members in Class Axi4StreamTransfer 2.5.1.3.3. Methods in Class Axi4StreamTransfer
2.5.1.4. Package axi4_stream_packet_class_pkg x
2.5.1.4.1. Class Axi4StreamPacket 2.5.1.4.2. Data Members in Class Axi4StreamPacket 2.5.1.4.3. Methods in Class Axi4StreamPacket
2.5.2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Transmitter BFM Packages, Classes, and Modules x
2.5.2.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_transmit_pkg.sv
2.5.2.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_transmit_pkg.sv x
2.5.2.1.1. Class TransmitBFM 2.5.2.1.2. Module axi4_stream_bfm_transmit_top 2.5.2.1.3. Method Prototypes in Class TransmitBFM
2.5.3. Altera® AXI4 Streaming Receiver BFM Packages, Classes, and Modules x
2.5.3.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_receive_pkg.sv
2.5.3.1. Package axi4_stream_bfm_receive_pkg.sv x
2.5.3.1.1. Class ReceiveBFM 2.5.3.1.2. Module axi4_stream_bfm_receive_top 2.5.3.1.3. Method Prototypes in Class ReceiveBFM
Answers to Top FAQs
1. Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM User Guide
2. Altera® AXI4 Streaming BFM User Guide
3. Document Revision History of Altera® AXI4 Bus Functional Model User Guides
A. API Translation: Mentor* VIP to Altera® AXI4 Memory-Mapped BFM

2.5.1.3.1. Class Axi4StreamTransfer

The Axi4StreamTransfer class is the most important data class in the Transmitter and Receiver BFMs. The Axi4StreamTransfer class enables all the data exchanges across the AXI4 streaming bus.

The Transmitter BFM requires the user to segment the data, and then attach one or more of these transfers to a packet for transmission. The packet class (described later) is a convenient container for grouping transfers together.

The Receiver BFM assembles the received transfers from one or more data beats as transactions on the AXI4 streaming bus. The receiver provides the transfers directly, rather than placing the transfers into packets, because there is no standard way for the AXI4 streaming bus to communicate transfer relationships across the interface. Sending transfer association is often done using information in-band, inside the transfer for later processing, or by using the TUSER information to pass packet grouping information for later processing by your application.

You can use either of the following processes to get data in and out of Axi4StreamTransfer objects:

As all data:

  • Type byte_t converted into Axi4StreamBytesData objects.

Or

As all byte objects:

  • Data bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesData objects.
  • Position bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesPosition objects.
  • Null bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesNull objects.
  • Data Error bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesDataError objects.
  • Position Error bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesPositionError objects.
  • Null Error bytes—using Axi4StreamBytesNullError objects.

The later sections of this document discuss method using both types of data entry.

BFM Transfer Object Basic Operation summarizes the basic concepts and interactions of transfer objects.

Figure 18. BFM Transfer Object Basic Operation

The delay and gap values can take any unsigned 32-bit integer value to model delays required by the BFM. This includes setting the delay and gap to zero for tightly packed bursts with no idle periods between consecutive transfers, as Consecutive Transfers with No Delay Nor Gap shows. delay is the time delay before the transmission of data. gap is the time delay after the transmission of data before the next transfer may start. The total space between two consecutive transfers consists of the gap of a preceding transfer and the delay from the following transfer, as Total Delay Between Data Transfers shows.

Figure 19.  Total Delay Between Data Transfers
Figure 20. Consecutive Transfers with No Delay Nor Gap


With the delay and gap values set to zero, there are no idle bus beats between consecutive transfers, as Consecutive Transfers with No Delay Nor Gap shows. You can set just one of the variables, such as delay, to model an interface while leaving gap set to zero. The delay and gap data members in the BFM’s Axi4StreamTransfer class are static. Once the data members are set to a value, they remain at that value with each new object created until changed explicitly. This allows you to “set-and-forget” delay and gap values if they are a consistent, repeating value.

The following sections detail how the transfer objects operate to support the basic functionality.

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